The Hindu Wedding
1 BARAAT
In Hindu weddings, the
Groom is led to the marriage venue in a procession known as the Baraat. He is
accompanied by family members, groomsmen, and friends known as Baraatis.
2 ARRIVAL OF THE GROOM (
Milni Ceremony)
The bride’s
family greets the groom and his family, friends, and relatives before he enters
the marriage hall.
3 Ganesha Puja
Ganesha Puja is also called Maha Ganapathi and is the
remover of obstacles. Maha Ganapathi is first worshipped before the
commencement of wedding rites.
The groom prays to
Lord Ganesh to bless him with wisdom and knowledge and to “enable him to
overcome all obstacles.”
4 Kalash Puja for
Purification
This is purificatory of the rite which renders the site and its environs sacred for conducting the ceremony.
5 Kanya Aagaman – The The arrival of the Bride
Kanya Aagaman is the
Bride’s arrival to the Mandap to start the wedding rituals. Kanya Aagaman
literally translates to ‘the arrival of the bride’. She is escorted to the
Mandap by her maternal uncle and aunt, signifying the acceptance of the union
from the maternal side of the Bride’s family. Depending on which part of India
the family is from, the Bride’s sisters, friends, and cousins join the
procession to the mandap.
6 Varmala Ceremony
The Varmala Ceremony,
also referred to as Jaimala, is the commencement of the Hindu wedding, serving
as the first time, the Bride and Groom meet before starting the wedding
ceremony.
Mala is the Hindi word
for garland, usually consisting of flowers bunched together on a string. The
exchange represents the acceptance and union of their forthcoming nuptials.
7 Kanyadaan
After the Varmala
ceremony, the Kanyadaan ritual takes place. Kanyadaan, meaning “giving away the
bride” in Sanskrit, is a symbolic marriage ritual for the Bride’s parents and
the couple. The Father of the Bride take’s his daughters right hand and places
it in the Groom’s right hand, requesting for him to accept his daughter as his
equal partner. This ritual signifies both the acceptance of the Bride’s Father
and his official approval to give his daughter away.
After joining the two
hands, ‘Hastamelap’, the Mother of the Bride pours sacred water on to the palm
of her husband’s hands, allowing it to flow through his fingers onto his
daughter's hand and ultimately to the groom’s hand as well.
8 Vivaah Homa
After the Kanyadaan
takes place, The Priest lights up a small sacred fire in a kund, or a copper
bowl. The remainder of the wedding ceremony is conducted around this fire. The
couple praises the Agni Devta, the Lord of Fire, in hopes of bringing the
presence of Vishnu on to the ceremony. The Vivaah Homa is performed in order to
indicate the purity of the upcoming rituals, all conducted with the help of the
fire.
9 Hastmelap Ritual
Often grouped together
in the Kanyadaan ceremony, the Hastmelap is translated from Sanskrit to mean
‘the joining of the hands’. The couple is united with the union of their hands
in the presence of Agni Devta (the Lord of Fire), represented by the fire lit
during the Vivaah Homa. The Bride places her right hand in the Groom’s right
hand as per tradition. Then to strengthen their bond, the Groom’s sister or
mother ties the ends of the scarves worn by the Bride and Groom together,
signifying their unity and ‘tying the knot’ quite literally. The couple vows to
treat others with respect to love, compassion, and sympathy. They also pledge to
show goodwill and affection to each other’s families.
10 Mangalsutra Ritual
The Mangalsutra, a
black and gold necklace with a gold or diamond pendant symbolizes good luck,
love, and friendship. In Sanskrit, ‘Mangala’ translates to sacred and ‘sutra’
to thread. Following the Hastamelap, the Bride moves to sit on the Groom’s left
side, taking the closest position to the Groom’s heart. He then proceeds into
the ceremony called “Mangalya dharanam” and places the Mangalsutra around her
neck and applies sindoor, red vermillion (also known as kumkum), to the center
of her forehead. These two offerings signify the Groom’s devotion to his Bride
and the Bride’s new status as a married woman.
11 Ring exchange
A ring exchange takes
place following the offering of the Mangalsutra, where the couple commits to
support each through the challenges that life may throw them, in happiness and
sorrow, with unconditional love. The Mangalsutra carries immense importance in
the Hindu wedding ceremony, as it is the moment where the couple expresses
their commitment to one another.
12 Granthi Bandhanam
During this particular
ceremony, the couple is tied together before embarking on the signature Mangal
Phere ceremony. Granthi Bandhanam quite literally translates from Sanskrit into
‘tying of the sacred knot’. The Bride’s brother ties a white cloth to the Bridal
sari and the other end is draped over the Groom’s shoulder. The knot symbolizes
the unity between the two families, bonding as one.
13 Mangal Phere
Mangal Fera (also
referred to as Mangal Phere) consists of the couple taking seven circles, or
‘feras’ around the Agni (sacred fire).“symbolic of the seven marital vows, with
Agni as the witness. They take the seven steps around the sacred fire as
they recite hymns and take the following vows:
1.
We will attain natural
comforts.
2.
We will develop
physical, mental, and spiritual strength.
3.
We will increase our
wealth through righteous means.
4.
We will acquire
knowledge, happiness, and harmony by mutual love and trust.
5.
We will be blessed
with strong and virtuous children.
6.
We will perform our
duties for the prosperity of the community.
7.
We will be true
companions and remain life-long partners.
As the couple takes
seven steps together they are expressing their devotion to each other for
life.”
the bride leads the
groom on the first Five pheras, while the groom takes over for the Sixth and
final step – signifying balance and completion in their marriage. When the couple makes their last round together, they rush back to their seats, racing
to sit down first. As part of the tradition, it is said that whoever takes
their seat first will be the ruler of the household.
14 The Ritual of Laaja
Homam
This ritual takes
place towards the end of the ceremony and is often not included depending on
whether or not the specific region celebrates it. Laaja Homam translates to
‘the offering of puffed rice to the sacred fire’ from its Sanskrit origins.
During this stage of the Hindu marriage, the bride offers rice with the help of
her brother wishing her husband a long life and for the proliferation of their
family. The bride is not allowed to offer the rice with her own two hands and
therefore is helped by her brother or closest male relative.
15 Ashirwad –
Blessings
The concluding step of
the Hindu wedding ceremony results in the Ashirwad, translating from Sanksrit
to blessings. The elders of the family play a crucial role in the setup of
Hindu family structure, imparting their wisdom and love to the generations
below them. This portion of the ceremony is both rewarding for the couple, the
parents, and family involved as it the culminating moment defining the marriage
of the Bride and Groom. It serves as a confirmation of the acceptance of both
families and the Bride and Groom as they embark on their life as a wedded couple.
Dr Murali Krishna Sarmaaji
Hindu Vidik Priest for Indian wedding
(336)-517-6268
